Book picks similar to
The Real Disaster Is Above Ground: A Mine Fire and Social Conflict by J. Stephen Kroll-Smith
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The War of 1898: The United States and Cuba in History and Historiography
Louis A. Pérez Jr. - 1998
Offering both a critique of the conventional historiography and an alternate history of the war informed by Cuban sources, Perez explores the assumptions that have shaped our understanding of the "Spanish-American War--a construct, he argues, that denies the Cubans' participation in their own struggle for liberation from Spanish rule. Perez examines historical accounts of the destruction of the battleship Maine, the representation of public opinion as a precipitant of war, and the treatment of the military campaign in Cuba. Equally important, he shows how historical narratives have helped sustain notions of America's national purpose and policy, many of which were first articulated in 1898. Cuba insinuated itself into one of the most important chapters of U.S. history, and what happened on the island in the final decade of the nineteenth century--and the way in which what happened was subsequently represented--has had far-reaching implications, many of which continue to resonate today.
It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided with the Politics of Extremism
Thomas E. Mann - 2012
Congress is deadlocked and its approval ratings are at record lows. America’s two main political parties have given up their traditions of compromise, endangering our very system of constitutional democracy. And one of these parties has taken on the role of insurgent outlier; the Republicans have become ideologically extreme, scornful of compromise, and ardently opposed to the established social and economic policy regime. In It’s Even Worse Than It Looks, congressional scholars Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein identify two overriding problems that have led Congress—and the United States—to the brink of institutional collapse. The first is the serious mismatch between our political parties, which have become as vehemently adversarial as parliamentary parties, and a governing system that, unlike a parliamentary democracy, makes it extremely difficult for majorities to act. Second, while both parties participate in tribal warfare, both sides are not equally culpable. The political system faces what the authors call “asymmetric polarization,” with the Republican Party implacably refusing to allow anything that might help the Democrats politically, no matter the cost. With dysfunction rooted in long-term political trends, a coarsened political culture and a new partisan media, the authors conclude that there is no “silver bullet” reform that can solve everything. But they offer a panoply of useful ideas and reforms, endorsing some solutions, like greater public participation and institutional restructuring of the House and Senate, while debunking others, like independent or third-party candidates. Above all, they call on the media as well as the public at large to focus on the true causes of dysfunction rather than just throwing the bums out every election cycle. Until voters learn to act strategically to reward problem solving and punish obstruction, American democracy will remain in serious danger.
The Radicalism of the American Revolution
Gordon S. Wood - 1992
Gordon S. Wood depicts a revolution that was about much more than a break from England, rather it transformed an almost feudal society into a democratic one, whose emerging realities sometimes baffled and disappointed its founding fathers.
The Cherokee Removal: A Brief History with Documents
Theda Perdue - 1995
Using documents that convey Cherokee voices, government policy, and white citizens’ views, Theda Perdue and Michael D. Green present a multifaceted account of this complicated moment in American history. The second edition of this successful, class-tested volume contains four new sources, including the Cherokee Constitution of 1827 and a modern Cherokee’s perspective on the removal. The introduction provides students with succinct historical background. Document headnotes contextualize the selections and draw attention to historical methodology. To aid students’ investigation of this compelling topic, suggestions for further reading, photographs, and a chronology of the Cherokee removal are also included.
My Brother's Keeper
Mary Pope Osborne - 2000
And Ginny finds plenty to write about: Pennsylvania Volunteers arrive in the town square reporting a big battle in Virginia and calling for more men to join their ranks. Rumors fly that the Rebs are headed to Gettysburg, and the Battle of Gettysburg ensues. Suddenly, Ginny's quiet town is filled with the injured.Ginny's brother Jed has joined the Union army, and they find him wounded in a makeshift hospital. With Ginny's nursing, he recovers, and Ginny is is able to witness the President's Gettysburg Address.
Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering
Anil K. Chopra - 2000
The new edition from Chopra includes many topics encompassing the theory of structural dynamics and the application of this theory regarding earthquake analysis, response, and design of structures. No prior knowledge of structural dynamics is assumed and the manner of presentation is sufficiently detailed and integrated, to make the book suitable for self-study by students and professional engineers.
Gettysburg: A Journey in Time
William A. Frassanito - 1975
The reader is transported to the battlefield by the photographs and through the analysis of the photographs to the battle itself. We watch it unfold, action by action. In meticulous close-up fashion, with documentary force, we see the terrible encounters of men at war.
The Medusa File: Secret Crimes and Coverups of the U.S. Government
Craig Roberts - 1996
During the period of 1940 to this day the power brokers, working from their positions of trust, have committed and then covered up the most heinous of crimes known to mankind. Investigative journalist Craig Roberts, author of "Kill Zone--a Sniper Looks at Dealey Plaza", now provides us with the results of his ten -year investigation regarding the secret crimes and coverups of the U.S. Government. You will read his case files on such subjects as the Japanese "Devil Unit 731" who experiments on American POWs in WWII with germ warfare weapons--and what happened when the war ended and the commanding officer was hired by the government instead of hanged for war crimes; Operation Paperclip in WWII when the U.S. brought Nazi scientists to America to work for us on our weapons programs instead of standing trial as war criminals; CIA and military mind control experiments on unsuspecting citizens--including children--without our knowledge; Secret drug and bacteriological weapons experiments on the American population; Atomic guinea pigs, Agent Orange, and the Gulf War Syndrome; what really happened to over 30,000 U.S. POWs after World War II, Korea and Vietnam; International assassinations, drug smuggling and money laundering; What the media did not tell you about the shoot down of TWA 800, the bombing of Pan AM 103, the Oklahoma City bombing, the crash of Arrow Air in Gander, Newfoundland, the derailment of the Sunset Limited in Arizona, the World Trade Center bombing in 1993, and much more….
From Herodotus to H-Net: The Story of Historiography
Jeremy D. Popkin - 2015
It shows how the same issues that historians debate today were already recognized in past centuries, and how the efforts of historians in the past remain relevant today. Balanced and fair-minded, the book covers the development of modern academic scholarship, but also helps students appreciate the contributions of popular historians and public history.
Living With Guns: A Liberal's Case for the Second Amendment
Craig Whitney - 2012
Columbine. Virginia Tech. Tucson. Aurora. Gun violence on a massive scale has become a plague in our society, yet politicians seem more afraid of having a serious conversation about guns than they are of the next horrific shooting. Any attempt to change the status quo, whether to strengthen gun regulations or weaken them, is sure to degenerate into a hysteria that changes nothing. Our attitudes toward guns are utterly polarized, leaving basic questions unasked: How can we reconcile the individual right to own and use firearms with the right to be safe from gun violence? Is keeping guns out of the hands of as many law-abiding Americans as possible really the best way to keep them out of the hands of criminals? And do 30,000 of us really have to die by gunfire every year as the price of a freedom protected by the Constitution? In Living with Guns, Craig R. Whitney, former foreign correspondent and editor at the New York Times, seeks out answers. He re-examines why the right to bear arms was enshrined in the Bill of Rights, and how it came to be misunderstood. He looks to colonial times, surveying the degree to which guns were a part of everyday life. Finally, blending history and reportage, Whitney explores how twentieth-century turmoil and culture war led to today's climate of activism, partisanship, and stalemate, in a nation that contains an estimated 300 million guns--and probably at least 60 million gun owners. In the end, Whitney proposes a new way forward through our gun rights stalemate, showing how we can live with guns -- and why, with so many of them around, we have no other choice.
Portraiture
Shearer West - 2004
How has portraiture changed over the centuries? How have portraits represented their subjects, and how have they been interpreted? The book provides a clear, yet thorough overview of the history of portraiture in terms of social, political, economic, and psychological factors over a broad time span. Issues such as identity, modernity, and gender are considered within their cultural and historical contexts.Shearer West uncovers intriguing aspects of portraiture-a genre that has often been seen as purely representational, featuring examples from African tribes to Renaissance princes, and from stars such as David and Victoria Beckham to everyday people. West examines the many meanings and uses of portraits throughout the ages and includes a wide range of artists from Botticelli to Picasso, and Hans Holbein to Frida Kahlo. In the process, she reveals the faces of the past in an exciting new way. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book is a unique and accessible introduction to the history of portraiture.
The Blizzard
June Bryan Belfie - 2016
The rich suburbanites found themselves in Amish country dealing with the absence of electricity and modern conveniences. Kayla found herself attracted to David, the handsome blond teenager and member of the Amish family they took refuge with. The feeling appeared mutual. After letters and visits back to the Amish family homestead, the young couple realized conflict was ahead for them. Could there ever be a meaningful relationship between them, beyond friendship? David also felt a calling to attend college. Still in his rumschpringe years, he could decide to leave the familiar community and become part of the English world. But could he leave everything familiar behind him for the unknown?
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
Brad W. Neville - 1995
Significantly revised and updated content throughout this edition brings you the latest information on the etiology, clinical features, histopathology, treatment, and prognosis of each disease entity, as well as cutting-edge topics such as bisphosphonate osteonecrosis, the oral complications associated with methamphetamine abuse, solitary fibrous tumors, gene mutation, and plasminogen deficiency.Over 1,300 clinical photos and radiographs, most in full color, facilitate identification and classification of lesions.Current concepts of pathogenesis and disease management help you understand the diseases that affect the oral and maxillofacial structures, formulate an accurate diagnosis, and institute proper treatment.Each chapter is logically organized by body system or disease group, enabling you to easily identify a specific condition.A comprehensive appendix of differential diagnosis among oral and maxillofacial disease processes helps you rule out invalid diagnoses.The bibliography divided by topic presented at the end of each chapter enables you to pursue supplemental literature.Highly accomplished authors and contributors with a broad range of clinical and classroom teaching experience provide well-balanced coverage of the entire subject.Chapter outlines at the beginning of each chapter allow immediate access to specific topics.Over 200 new illustrations have been added to this popular, visual reference.A new section on bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis thoroughly explores and illustrates this recently identified complication resulting from medications used to prevent bone loss in patients with multiple myeloma, metastatic tumors, and osteoporosis.A new section about the oral complications of methamphetamine abuse details characteristic oral manifestations such as meth mouth caries" and factitial injuries.Expanded coverage of oral piercings, intraoral tattoos, and other body modifications includes unusual entities such as tongue splitting and charm needles.A new section on transient lingual papillitis sheds light on this common cause of transitory tongue irritation.A new section on solitary fibrous tumors familiarizes you with this popular designation for certain benign fibrous neoplasms.A new section on hypoplasminogenemia (ligneous conjunctivitis), or plasminogen deficiency, includes images from a patient case that illustrate the characteristic gingival lesions associated with this rare but fascinating systemic condition.A new section on hereditary mucoepithelial dysplasia describes the characteristic oral manifestations that can lead you to accurately diagnose this condition, potentially preventing a woman with this disorder from having cytologically unusual cells misdiagnosed as carcinoma on her cervical PAP smears.A new section discusses the clinical and microscopic features of chronic ulcerative stomatitis, an immune-mediated condition of the oral mucosa that presents with erosive lesions and is often mistaken for lichen planus.The chapter on Forensic Dentistry has been thoroughly revised and updated by leading forensic odontology author, Dr. Edward Herschaft, to include the latest information on this fascinating topic.Several chapters have been updated to include the most current knowledge of specific gene mutations associated with hereditary oral disorders.
Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics
Ross Douthat - 2012
As the youngest-ever op-ed columnist for The New York Times and the author of the critically acclaimed books Privilege and Grand New Party, Ross Douthat has emerged as one of the most provocative and influential voices of his generation. Now he offers a masterful and hard-hitting account of how American Christianity has gone off the rails — and why it threatens to take American society with it.In a story that moves from the 1950s to the age of Obama, Douthat brilliantly charts traditional Christianity’s decline from a vigorous, mainstream, and bipartisan faith — which acted as a “vital center” and the moral force behind the Civil Rights movement — through the culture wars of the 1960s and 1970s down to the polarizing debates of the present day. He argues that Christianity’s place in American life has increasingly been taken over, not by atheism, but by heresy: Debased versions of Christian faith that breed hubris, greed, and self-absorption. Ranging from Glenn Beck to Eat Pray Love, Joel Osteen to The Da Vinci Code, Oprah Winfrey to Sarah Palin, Douthat explores how the prosperity gospel’s mantra of “pray and grow rich”; a cult of self-esteem that reduces God to a life coach; and the warring political religions of left and right have crippled the country’s ability to confront our most pressing challenges, and accelerated American decline.His urgent call for a revival of traditional Christianity is sure to generate controversy, and it will be vital reading for all those concerned about the imperiled American future.
The War That Forged a Nation: Why the Civil War Still Matters
James M. McPherson - 2015
In fact, five generations have passed, and Americans are still trying to measure the influence of the immense fratricidal conflict that nearly tore the nation apart.In The War that Forged a Nation, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson considers why the Civil War remains so deeply embedded in our national psyche and identity. The drama and tragedy of the war, from its scope and size--an estimated death toll of 750,000, far more than the rest of the country's wars combined--to the nearly mythical individuals involved--Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson--help explain why the Civil War remains a topic of interest. But the legacy of the war extends far beyond historical interest or scholarly attention. Here, McPherson draws upon his work over the past fifty years to illuminate the war's continuing resonance across many dimensions of American life.Touching upon themes that include the war's causes and consequences; the naval war; slavery and its abolition; and Lincoln as commander in chief, McPherson ultimately proves the impossibility of understanding the issues of our own time unless we first understand their roots in the era of the Civil War. From racial inequality and conflict between the North and South to questions of state sovereignty or the role of government in social change--these issues, McPherson shows, are as salient and controversial today as they were in the 1860s.Thoughtful, provocative, and authoritative, The War that Forged a Nation looks anew at the reasons America's civil war has remained a subject of intense interest for the past century and a half, and affirms the enduring relevance of the conflict for America today.